By Gabriel Dike
The University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Lagos, has attracted more than N18 billion research grants in the past four and half years under the incumbent administration.
The amount, which includes for local and international research grants, was achieved under the administration of the vice-chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe.
In his agenda for UNILAG from 2017 to 2022, research occupied the number one spot.
Ogundipe, whose tenure would end in November 2022, said research was one of his top priorities when he assumed office in 2017.
“I am very happy that I will leave the university on a sound footing, research-wise. Research is one area where this administration has achieved success. Both academic and non-teaching staff got research grants.
“At this moment, UNILAG has received over N18 billion research grants from local and international bodies. Last week, two lecturers got research grants.
“It is our strength and we have achieved a lot in this area. Even non-teaching staff are beneficiaries. Getting research grants is simple because of quality education and our focus on research. Nine UNILAG lecturers are currently in Brazil as a result of research grants,” he said.
According to him, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) recently bestowed award on UNILAG as the best university in the South-West for judicious use of research grants.
He further disclosed that the university signed a partnership with Nord Automobile, the first in Africa, to assist staff and students in their field.
The VC explained that the university attracted Photo Hub from Vice PresidentYemi Osinbajo at the Lagoon Front, with another one at the same seaside from Bayo Omoboriowo, a photographer in the Presidency, and the project is about 70 per cent ready.
Said he: “We have about five projects that are ongoing. Another one, a laboratory, is starting at the Faculty of Engineering, sponsored by an alumnus of the university.”
Ogundipe disclosed that the university recently registered 30 companies for some students to start business. He attributed the success of students in different fields to attitudinal change.
He said students of the university are making waves in information and communication technology (ICT), event planning/management and several areas.
“A number of these research activities are geared towards changing society and providing solutions to some of the problems we are faced with as a nation. Research has become a major currency for all our academic staff and this was ably demonstrated with our submissions to different international organisations and to the TETfund National Research Fund (NRF).
“The university was the highest recipient of TETFund NRF 2019, as 14 members of staff received a grant of N419 million. Also in 2020, 16 of our staff received N419 million as total grant sum from the 2020 TETFund NRF. We believe that this steady growth in research activities is precipitated by the approaches we are adopting to encourage our staff to showcase their talents,” he stated during the 2021 convocation briefing.
Some of the research grants for 2019 include: Prof. Timothy Nubi of Centre for Housing Studies, who got £609,772 from UK Research and Innovation Global Challenge; Dr. Sunday Adebisi of Entrepreneurship Skills Development Centre, £600,000 from GRCF; Prof. Osuntoki of Anatomy got $380,258 from William Rice University; Prof. F.T. Ogunsola of Medical Microbiology got $250,152 from NIH Northwestern; and Dr. Ahmed Oloyo of the Department of Physiology received $586,846 from NIH/Fogarty.
For 2020 research grants, Prof. Chinyere Ezeaka got $308,176 from William Marsh University and McArthur Foundation; Dr. Taibat Lawson received £299,934 from British Academy; Dr. Aderolu Ademola of Marine Science got N32 million from TETFund; Dr. Ogedengbe Busayo of Mechanical Engineering received N37 million; Prof. Iranloye Caleb of Physiology/Basic Medical Science got N40 million from TETFund; and Dr. Taibat Lawson received £299,731 from University of Cambridge.
Ogundipe also disclosed that UNILAG was still paying high monthly bills to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), which was worrisome.
The VC said, in March, the university paid N122 million as PHCN bill for the main campus and School of Radiography, Yaba.
His words: “The high monthly bill from PHCN is something that is worrisome to the university. We are working on the independent power plant.The March PHCN bill doesn’t include the College of Medicine at Idi Araba.”
Last year, the VC said the university paid N1.4 billion for electricity and each year the bill keeps increasing due to increase in electricity tariff.